This is what I found under all those sweet potato vines.  A little disappointing, seeing how I gave up my arugula bed to grow sweet potatoes.  But it was a test, so I guess I have to be OK with the results.  The deer certainly enjoyed all those sweet potato vines we put on the trash pile for them.  They ate all the leaves, and left the vines on the pile.

 

Happily, we have reclaimed the arugula bed for arugula.  We should be harvesting arugula leaves in a few weeks.  And that will last us until November.  Lesson learned.  I'm going back to the arugula:  it's a sure thing.

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

 

 

Here is another weed that grows all over our neighborhood.  It is also in the genus Eupatorium.  Now this one looks a lot like Joe-Pye weed to me.  It is about 4 - 5 feet tall, and branches near the top like Joe-Pye weed.  Its flowers are more widely spaced, but the structure is similar.  Its name is Eupatorium altissimum, or Tall Boneset.  This identification came from Seek.

 

Wikipedia tells me that it is sometimes confused with Brickellia eupatorioides, or False Boneset because they both grow on limestone soils.  To confuse us further, E. altissimum has opposite leaves with 3 prominent veins, and B. eupatoioides has alternate leaves with 1 prominent vein.  I understand the language, but I have to go back to the plant to identify it.  

 

It must be Friday the 13th.  Oh, well, I will get in more steps.  OK, I checked, and it has opposite leaves and 3 prominent veins:  so, it must be Eupatorium altissimum.   FYI:  I got 700 more steps.  ;)

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

 

 

I know you have seen this weed all along the hillsides, in meadows, and roadways.  It grows about 5 - 6 feet tall, and looks very feathery.  This patch is not blooming, but it does bloom.  Also very feathery-looking.

 

It is Dog fennel, also called yankeeweed.  I just thought you might like to know what to call it.  Now here is the interesting thing (to me.)  Its Latin name is Eupatorium capillifolium.  Eupatorium is the genus name for Joe-Pye weed, Eupatorium purpureaum.   This means they are botanically related.  Personally, I don't see the connection, but somebody who understands taxonomy (a lot) better than I do named it.  

 

So that's our fun weed identification for today.  

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

I think these may be my favorite mums.  They remind of the great big red rovers.  I just love all this autumn color!!!

 

I wish these were perennial mums, but the perennial ones are soft purple.  I like them too, and they come back every year, but I really LOVE these.  They just scream happiness.

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

 

Look!!  I did find flowers for you, but not as sweet as that picture of Emily.  Love you!!!

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

 

Yep.  September is the best time to buy chrysanthemums.  You can see what color they are, and you get to enjoy the whole blooming process.  If you wait until they are all the way bloomed, you still pay the same and only get half the enjoyment time.

 

So do it NOW!!!  That's my plan.

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

We started out for our walk the other day, and noticed that the Tulip Poplars' leaves are starting to turn yellow and brown.  I don't remember if this is normal for them, or if they are suffering from our recent dry conditions. 

 

It is early September, and we are seeing quite a bit of fall color.  The Sourwoods and the Dogwoods are showing some color, and of course the Black gum trees are turning red.  We're seeing lots red on the Sumacs, but I think that is normal for them for September.  

 

Anyway, it is beginning to look a little like fall here in the mountains.  It may be drought-driven, but beautiful, just the same.

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

 

As we were walking in the park, we saw these Jack o'Lantern mushrooms.  We knew what they were because we've seen them before, just not in this spot.  But I checked the Seek App anyway.  And it said that Jack o'Lantern mushrooms often sprout at the base of decaying or living trees.  Yep, that's where we found these, at the base of a tree that fell down a few years ago.  

 

They are bright orange, and easy to see.  But here is a warning:  they are poisonous, and can cause serious gastric distress when eaten, raw or cooked.  When I know that a mushroom is poisonous, I don't even touch them.  But I do love to look.

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

This is what the crabapples look like the end of August.  They have dropped most of their leaves, revealing hundreds of bright red crabapples.  The crabapples are edible, but really sour.  So we leave them for the birds.  They will eat them all winter.

 

Crabapples are native to the southeastern US, and are often used as landscape trees, because of their beautiful blooms in early spring.  These trees in Meeks Park bloom a brilliant red, before they leaf out in the spring.  They are truly gorgeous trees. 

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

 

 

 

 

When we were in the Ocoee the other day, we noticed that the Kudzu is blooming.  My first indication was the sweet smell of grape Kool-aid in the air.  

 

So I took this picture that could probably qualify as a Kudzu National Forest.  Really, it is just an excuse to let you know that it is blooming and will continue for most of the month of September.  

 

When you see it, be sure to roll down the windows so you can get the full experience.  You need to do it at least once.

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!